The only real advantage of a treadmill is climate control. This morning I headed out in t-shirt in shorts to discover it was 57 outside. That was a bit chilly at first. And my hands definitely got cold. If I have another winter like last year, I'm probably going to wish I had a treadmill.

In other news, this morning as I was leaving my wife in her half sleep looked at me and told me my stomach doesn't stick out as far as it used to. She promptly went back to sleep. Considering my wife has never made a comment about my weight etc, this must mean that there has been a noticeable change in my appearance.

In other news, this morning as I was leaving my wife in her half sleep looked at me and told me my stomach doesn't stick out as far as it used to. She promptly went back to sleep. Considering my wife has never made a comment about my weight etc, this must mean that there has been a noticeable change in my appearance.

Everybody getting their races in is really making me want to get to my 5k! 13 more days today. Training runs this week are up to 3 miles - looking forward to tomorrow morning's run as I have now taken 3 days off from running. I'm a lot less tired now though, so it was worth it.

@bbl - I used the Ullrey podcasts when I did week 5. It wasn't bad for the 20 minute run. The way the podcast is structured, I didn't think about running 20 minutes straight. I ran a 5 minute interval, then a three minute interval, etc. I used the prompts to break the time down in my mind so that I wasn't focused on this huge number of 20 minutes. After that though, I decided to treat myself to an ipod touch and didn't use the podcasts anymore. Also - great job on the kudos from the wife. Our loved ones always seem to be the last ones to notice because they see us all the time and the change is gradual. You must be rockin' it .

@moonie - definitely check out what your BMR is (there are some online tools that are pretty good) and figure out what your net calories need to be. When I first started working out last year, I set my calorie target at 1700 calories figuring that's what it would take for me to lose weight. Bad idea. I had metabolic testing done last November to figure out where I needed to be, and my BMR came in at 2086 calories - that being the amount of calories I would need to take in every day if I was laying in bed in a coma. Obviously, 1700 wasn't nearly enough. I boosted up to a net of approximately 2400 per day (read net as total calories in less calories burned in exercise) and started losing weight again. I'm down 40lbs now from where I was that day. The livestrong site is pretty good at helping track to net calories if you're interested in recording your food intake for a while. Bottom line, not eating enough is not going to help you lose weight.

@wideguy - glad to hear your foot is better. You'll be out there again before you know it! Sounds like it was a great hike.

@rev - that run sounds like fun. There's one in my town on Halloween called the Merrell Down & Dirty (isn't that a great name?) that I would love to do, but I don't think I'm capable of the obstacles at this point. I'm debating about volunteering this year and then running it next year. You were awesomely dirty! It looks like you had a great time.

@travis - thanks for sharing your story with us - definitely good to see someone whose made such great progress.

Off to work (sigh). I'd much rather be going for a run than going to sit in an office and taking privacy and security training this morning (ick).

Yes, I blewoff the half marathon. much pressure for too little time to build up and hope that i don't hit any roadblocks.

Took yesterday off from running and went to see youngest daughter compete in individual events at Westernaires, a metro Denver horseback riding group. Events were barrel racing, flags, and pole bending (like slolam on horseback). She took third in that. Legs were aching yesterday so no fun running on aching legs but about to leave to hit the trail in 10 minutes as soon as i find the running shoes. Out for 2 cycles of running for 14 minutes followed by 1 minute of walking. I've done harder trying to get ready for the HM but out for the enjoyable runs now...not the hardship.

Feel as if am writing a diary/blog.

Good luck to all those runners out there.

Well...so much for running "injury free"". Right hamstring acting up again. Back to checking out how to recover from this injury. I thought the injury was caused by running on an uneven gravel surface...she says that its caused by high kick. This "penguin" doing high kicks!!!???

Maybe some meds and the afternoon off and watch the US Open men's final at 2pm MDT, followed by a run tonight.

@moonie - definitely check out what your BMR is (there are some online tools that are pretty good) and figure out what your net calories need to be. When I first started working out last year, I set my calorie target at 1700 calories figuring that's what it would take for me to lose weight. Bad idea. I had metabolic testing done last November to figure out where I needed to be, and my BMR came in at 2086 calories - that being the amount of calories I would need to take in every day if I was laying in bed in a coma. Obviously, 1700 wasn't nearly enough. I boosted up to a net of approximately 2400 per day (read net as total calories in less calories burned in exercise) and started losing weight again. I'm down 40lbs now from where I was that day. The livestrong site is pretty good at helping track to net calories if you're interested in recording your food intake for a while. Bottom line, not eating enough is not going to help you lose weight.

Thanks! I remember back when I was working with a trainer and she had me eating 2100 cals. I think I'm going to try bumping to that. I'm on Sparkpeople, but I might try livestrong too. See if that's different. I think what I'm really having a hard time with is recognizing that, well, that I'm an athlete. It's a hard thing to reconcile that suddenly, I've gone from being the "fat girl" to being a "fat burner". Again with the mental hurdles! But it happens to me everytime--as soon as I hit a plateau, I eat more and the weight falls off. I've been at around 1900 cals, but then considering I'm running 25-40 minutes 3 times a week, plus some walking and resistance training and yoga here and there...oh, yeah, I guess I AM an active girl now. *sheepish grin*

Blessed are the geeks for we shall inherit the Earth.

Good run or bad run? The only run that matters is the one I actually do! Keep going!

I just finished my first ever run in my life! Actually I could not run the entire time and I wonder if this is really going to work. I too am working toward being 40 years old and have set a goal to be under 200 lbs and run a 5k by my 40th birthday. I need some advise and encouragement please!

@mamaof7 - congrats on the first run! The first steps are always the toughest, but if you just keep putting one foot in front of the other you will get there before you know it. On January 11 of this year I hit the treadmill for the first time in a long time. I weighed 325 and I think I went about 1.2 miles in about 30 minutes. It was a painful run/walk and I was really sore after it. However, things go better day by day and now I weigh 236 and am running half marathons training for a full marathon. If the 325 pound couch potato that I was can get here, anyone can. You will finds lots of encouragement and advice here, this is a very supportive group. You are on your way! Congrats on a real achievement!

@Jennifer - Welcome! This is a great thread and everyone here is very supportive. We will all be cheering you on along the way, wishing you the best on your journey!

@moonie - definitely check out what your BMR is (there are some online tools that are pretty good) and figure out what your net calories need to be. When I first started working out last year, I set my calorie target at 1700 calories figuring that's what it would take for me to lose weight. Bad idea. I had metabolic testing done last November to figure out where I needed to be, and my BMR came in at 2086 calories - that being the amount of calories I would need to take in every day if I was laying in bed in a coma. Obviously, 1700 wasn't nearly enough. I boosted up to a net of approximately 2400 per day (read net as total calories in less calories burned in exercise) and started losing weight again. I'm down 40lbs now from where I was that day. The livestrong site is pretty good at helping track to net calories if you're interested in recording your food intake for a while. Bottom line, not eating enough is not going to help you lose weight.

Thanks! I remember back when I was working with a trainer and she had me eating 2100 cals. I think I'm going to try bumping to that. I'm on Sparkpeople, but I might try livestrong too. See if that's different. I think what I'm really having a hard time with is recognizing that, well, that I'm an athlete. It's a hard thing to reconcile that suddenly, I've gone from being the "fat girl" to being a "fat burner". Again with the mental hurdles! But it happens to me everytime--as soon as I hit a plateau, I eat more and the weight falls off. I've been at around 1900 cals, but then considering I'm running 25-40 minutes 3 times a week, plus some walking and resistance training and yoga here and there...oh, yeah, I guess I AM an active girl now. *sheepish grin*

Just checked on livestrong... for a moderately active person (before even considering my exercise levels), to lose 2 pounds a week I should be eating over 2200 cals... wow, I'm totally doing it wrong! LOL

Blessed are the geeks for we shall inherit the Earth.

Good run or bad run? The only run that matters is the one I actually do! Keep going!

I love this group--love to see the new people getting started and all the stories, whether it's victories or the tough stuff that comes along.

Welcome to the newcomers, wherever you're at with C25K! You've found a very supportive and encouraging crew here; the biggest obstacle for most of us is getting out the door. The mental barriers are the biggest ones to get past; you can do this, there are plenty of folks here who are evidence of that. Don't give up!

@moonieQ, it's a whole mindset change to realize that wait, I AM an active person now, and to move from severely restricting calories to adding more calories to accommodate the increased activity levels. I'm on SparkPeople too--look me up there if you want to connect (getfit2live).

@BBL, I love it when my hubby gives me that kind of feedback. Of course, I'm insecure enough that I ASK for it from time to time; I have to look at pictures to really see the difference 50+ pounds has made. Somehow I don't notice it in the mirror because it's been so gradual.

@revgum, awesome on doing the warrior dash, I have a friend (female) who did it, and she loved doing it.

@stanleighCO, sometimes we need to step back and adjust our goals and training plans so we don't start hating running. I have a friend who wants me to do a HM with her at the end of November; not sure I'm up to the training that will be needed to do it at this stage, but I'm considering doing it as a run/walk.

@wideguy, glad the foot is almost back to normal. Nice job on the hike; it may have been more work, but you still did it!

It's amazing to me how different I feel about exercise and particularly running these days. I feel like a slug if I don't do SOMETHING active every day. Yesterday we were up at 4 a.m. to go watch our grandson, so when we got home in the late afternoon hubby and I were planning to take a nap before doing anything else. I looked at the time and realized we would not get to run if we did that and was a little surprised that hubby wanted to go running too, so we got on our running gear and headed to the trail. I wasn't sure I was up to running at all, but after a warmup walk I ran a mile, walked a bit, ran some more, walked, then ran another half mile to recalibrate my Nike+. I was pleased to see that it has been pretty close on its distances, but it was a good day and place to check it since there are markers every half mile on the trail. Felt so much better afterward, didn't need a nap after all.

@ BBL Sounds like you are doing great!!! I hate my scale and so want to throw it away but I can't seem to stay away from it. I completed week 5 yesterday. The infamous 20 minute monster, that actually became the 21 min monster because I was almost to the end of a route I do and figured I'd gone that far a few more steps was worth it! After w5d1 with Ullrey's podcast, I decided that I didn't want to hear him in the middle of my 8 saying that day 1 people could stop, etc. For day 2 and 3 I set the intervals on my watch and just listened to my ipod. You are so right, on day 1 you're thinking OMG, how can I do 20 mins when I'm only doing 5 now when you hear him talking to the other days....but I promise just as the program worked in the weeks past, it won't fail you on w5d3! (now I'm just nervous about what week 6 has in store)

@divarunning - I ran on the treadmill a few times when I first started my running program and it was fine, but after running outside, I don't want to go back. I do when it I am busy and don't have time to get to the park, but (now that I can run hills and not be afraid of them) I'd rather see the scenery.

Good for you PrancinPony. I enjoy the outside too. The variables that happen outside...strangers...neighbors...wildlife...and the variation of terrain by elevation and surface...it has the treadmill beat hands down. If the weather and course isnt the best, i will opt for the indoor running track. I might try the treadmill to work on my legwork and start kicking up my heels. After having open-heart surgery they had me in cardiac rehab on the treadmill among other machines. I wish my 5K times on the treadmill could be used for a race.

Looks like I will be popping some Ibuprofin and do some leg curls to improve my hamstrings and then be back with those high kicks on the trail once again.

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